Employee Of The Week
Our team at their best
Follow our weekly Employee of the Week update as all the team members honour an individual team member for their passionate and hard work during the week, through our patented democratic peer voting system (it's not really patented). This happens every Friday and sometimes on the following Monday if a deadline looms.
Another late one bites the dust
Jon-Russell Davids | 05/03/10
“3000 Experience points earned. Level up!”
Web to the oh
Marc Viljoen | 26/02/10
“Webit (said in the way a frog sounds in whatever way a frog sounds like)”
The Kernel of Code
Jon-Russell Davids | 19/02/10
“Working on the weekend. Woohoo!”
Ricky Rich
Ricky van der Walt | 12/02/10
“After putting on his game face he zipped up his game suit before rockin those potential clients' ears.”
Nerd for the Herd
Jean-Pierre Mouton | 05/02/10
“Behold it are vhe sweetie cookie man!”
One-man Design Factory
Jean-Pierre Mouton | 29/01/10
“I'm not sure what he's been doing all week, but he looked really busy.”
Miss Money Penny
Elizma Steyn | 22/01/10
“For the win.”
Because
Dawie van der Westhuizen | 15/01/10
“Using what we've got to make things run smooth.”
She knows money
Elizma Steyn | 18/12/09
“Keepin goin till the end!!”
Rose amongst us thorns
Elizma Steyn | 11/12/09
“She's no sissy when it comes to work.”
Webshift 1.6
Marc Viljoen | 04/12/09
“More than just a shift.”
2 in a Row
Jon-Russell Davids | 27/11/09
“J-to-the-R-to-the-CSS-Hussle!”
The HTML Ninja
Jon-Russell Davids | 20/11/09
“Keeping a professional attitude while going where very few mere "coders" have gone before!
Above and beyond duty!”
La Flasher
Dawie vd Westhuizen | 13/11/09
“No reason”
Trendsetter
Ricky vd Walt | 06/11/09
“Switches others people's computers' on for them.”
Extraordinaire
Elizma Steyn | 30/10/09
“Collecting the ching and bling, 'cause she rocks!”
The Man
Marc Viljoen | 23/10/09
“Working hard to launch Shapeshift's new website - it's alive!”
Organising Chaos
Marc Viljoen | 16/10/09
“Dedication to the Shift.”
On the phone. At the frontline.
Elizma Steyn | 09/10/09
“She fights in the trenches and on the phone.
Web Contract Now - That's how she rolls.”
Juggler
Ricky van der Walt | 02/10/09
“Juggling chainsaws, oil barrels and fluffy white kittens, he's the only human being that can sell something to Chuck Norris.”
Keeping head above water
Elizma Steyn | 25/09/09
“Without her, Shapeshift would not be possible.
Liz, Liz, she's our man, if she can't do it no one can!”
HTML Samurai Warrior
Jon-Russell Davids | 18/09/09
“Slicen and dicen dem designs.
Doing an outstanding job of holding the fort.
Going beyond the call of duty and making Sean proud.”
The Fresh Prince of Cadbury
Jean-Pierre Mouton | 11/09/09
“P.S. = PhotoShop”
Invoice Robot
Elizma Steyn | 04/09/09
“Omdat sy awesome is.”
Late-night Web-jockey
Marc Viljoen | 28/08/09
“Frying the chicken, taming the beast, doing it all under the light of the midnight oil.”
Universal
Dawie vd Westhuizen | 21/08/09
“Proposal writer, project runner and "Shoe Flinger" extraordinaire.”
In brackets
Jean-Pierre Mouton | 14/08/09
“Smoov like chocolate.”
Web Radio Star
JR Davids | 07/08/09
“Has more patience than a doctor in a panda suit during a flu epidemic. (originally compared to a pile of dirty dishes but that did not seem that spectacular)”
The Legend
Arno Kruger | 31/07/09
“The end of an era and the begining of another.
May it be just as great.
May it be even more so.”
Export quality
Marc Viljoen | 24/07/09
“All our Databases are belong to us.”
Absolutely relatively positioned
Sean Tarr | 16/07/09
“Absolutely relatively positioned higher than some other CSS gurus out there.”
SEO master, mastering the SEO
Andre Du Plessis | 09/07/09
“He seems really amped about this whole interweb thing...
Saving the world one word at a time. Helping people find a place to eat and sleep.”
Front-office operator
Elizama Steyn | 02/07/09
“Elizma!”
Articulate QC Tester and Seriously funny Jester
Sean Tarr | 25/06/09
“Html-ing and CSS-ing the dream.”
Mr. Magic
Dawie vd Westhuizen | 18/06/09
“The best pick-me-up when you're down.
The soup du jour of Project Managers.”
The brain specialist
Marc Viljoen | 11/06/09
“Datashift 2.0 ftw!”
Brand Implementor Extraordinaire
Elizma Steyn | 04/06/09
“Miss Money Penny did it again. This time converting the old to the new!”
Helping out where he can
Dawie vd Westhuizen | 28/05/09
“Yes!
The man has a strong character.”
Pro
Arno Kruger | 24/05/09
“Happy snapper, photo taker.”
Shapeshifting
Jean-Piere Mooton | 14/05/09
“Shapeshifting shapeshift.co.za.”
Making websites look good
Jean-Pierre Mouton | 07/05/09
“Everyone's a designer but not everyone is good at it.
Jean-Pierre is great at it!”
Hy's aan die brand (translated: He's on fire)
Arno Kruger | 29/04/09
“We've seen a hint of his bubble creation and we like it.”
For president
Ricky van der Walt | 23/04/09
“Ricky, for bringing the word of Shapeshift to the masses.
Ricky for president!”
100%
Elizma Steyn | 16/04/09
“Elizma, taking the test, making us proud.”
MR. JR
Jon-Russel Davids | 08/04/09
“Good!”
Still coding
Marc Viljoen | 02/04/09
“”
Marc with a 'c'
Marc Viljoen | 27/03/09
“Implementing the code, remotely.”
Arrie the Octopus
Arno Kruger | 13/03/09
“Drawer of pictures, maker of logos and part-time marine biologist.”
Master of the word
Ricky van der Walt | 06/03/09
“Finding those hard to reach opportunities and approaching everday problems with creative and non-offensive solutions.
Keep it up Sherlock or should I say OctopusMan!”
Unda Pressha
Sean Tarr | 27/02/09
“Sean. Deadline Assassin. Standards Enforcer. HTML King.”
Want sy is lekker
L to the izza! | 20/02/09
“A warm smile and a 'can-do' attitude goes a long way.”
Guiding design with Style
JP Mouton | 13/02/09
“JP, cutting the deadline like a knife through butter.”
Keeing the passion, staying sharp
Dawie van der Westhuizen | 06/02/09
“A song was written commending Dawie's efforts this week.
"Bring back that coding feeling. Oh that coding feeling. Bring back that coding feeling cause it's fun fun fun, oh oh oh."
On receiving the award Dawie himself sang the song.
What a moment. What a song!”
The Programmer
Marcus Viljoen | 30/01/09
“Marc's exquisite regular expression and suave parsing technique has earned him a well deserved Employee of the Week award. His efforts during this week will not end here but will be the foundation for many amazing things to come from Shapeshift Interactive.
Be ready to sign up to the future.”
Employee of the Week!
Elizma Steyn | 23/01/09
“Elizma, the archetype for Miss Moneypenny, is the winner because she rocks the front office.”
Rocking Horse
Arno Kruger | 16/01/09
“Working nonstop from the get-go proves that Arno is the master of working nonstop from the get-go.”
Superstarr
Sean Tarr | 19/12/08
“Sean, because he can!”
Happen things make
Dawie van der Westhuizen | 12/12/08
“Dawie - making things happen.”
In contacts
Dawie van der Westhuizen | 05/12/08
“What can we say? The global economy has hit a thumping low. (as illustrated here by Dawie)
But there is hope for us all! For we will rise above adversity and stand tall through the trails that life has to offer us.”
Sidestepping infinite loops
Arno Kruger | 28/11/08
“Even though his PC was struggling Arno soldiered on like a trooper keeping his clients happy one proof at a time.”
Flash Aha!
Jon-Russell Davids | 21/11/08
“Natural problem solver, skilled artist, no matter the canvas, no matter the task.”
Jon-Russell
Dr Jon-Russell | 14/11/08
“Dissecting and the perfecting the code, that's Jon-Russell!
"As the crow flies so does the moon shine on the glowing hills and the drowning valleys." - Ancient Coders Proverb.
Someone wrote these beautiful words to remind us of something that we should not forget.”
coding the html vibes
Sean Tarr | 07/11/08
“Sean won for being SUPERMAN and because his name rhymes with lawn, pawn and other words like that.”
The Setup Guy
Marc Viljoen | 31/10/08
“Marc the wearer of many hats and the server of servers.”
Brand Sponge
Arno Kruger | 23/10/08
“Yes sir! Arrie!
Arnooooo!
Prentjies prentjies, hy teken prentjies. (Pictures pictures, he draws pictures)”
In a spin cycle
Dawis van der Westhuizen | 16/10/08
“Dawie.
Targeting the Client.
Right on!”
Smoochie
Ricky van der Walt | 09/10/08
“Ricky, being able to sell a refrigerator to an eskimo, has succeeded in selling another brand document by carefully taking all imaginable elements into account while dealing with the client face to face.”
Part of the team
Jon-Russell Davids | 02/10/08
“Jon-Russell might be the new guy but he has already shapeshifted right into the crowd.
Welcome to the team!”
Running with the numbers
Elizma Steyn | 25/09/08
“She does her job with ease and handles those difficult clients with a breeze.
Das ist Elizma!”
On time
Lina Bruyns | 18/09/08
“Arriving at work early is good. Making great designs is good too.
That is good Lina!”
Deserving it
Ricky van der Walt | 11/09/08
“Ricky won this week's award because he was late. Strange but true. Ricky was late. And he won. Is anyone still reading this? If you are then wave your hands in the air.”
Birthday boy
Arno Kruger | 04/09/08
“Veels geluk liewe Arrie omdat jy verjaar and for doing an outstanding job!”
Lifesaver
Dawie van der Westhuizen | 28/08/08
“If it wasn't for Dawie then Marc would have starved to death this week and then Vinebid would have never gone live.
Hooray!”
Sticking it out
Marc Viljoen | 21/08/08
“Running like an engine.
chaka chaka chaka (that's the sound the engine is making).”
Still Smiling
Marc Viljoen | 14/08/08
“Thanks Marc for working so hard.
You should get some sleep. Or go home. You have a home, you know.”
Egg-breaker, Coffee-maker
Jean-Pierre Mouton | 07/08/08
“Jean's people-skills put him at the top this week.
He entertained some with his breaking-an-egg-on-your-head trick and for others he made a simple cup of coffee.
Thanks Jean, it really is the little things that count.”
Taking charge
Dawie van der Westhuizen | 31/07/08
“Twice in a row for Dawie.
Juggling through production and meetings, and staying on the ball.”
Organised
Dawie van der Westhuizen | 24/07/08
“Dawie is more than just your average Production Manager, giving service with a smile while going the extra mile.”
The Wireframe Maker
18/07/2008 | 17/07/08
“Lina won this week's award with a runaway victory. That is impressive as she did this by only making the wireframes for a website.
What will happen once she has completed the design? Will the Employee of the Week award become a permanent fixture on Lina's desk? Will the petrol prices drop drastically? WIll the Springboks ever win again?
Only time will tell...
Find out in the next episode of, Employee of the Week!”
Getting better
Ricky van Walt | 10/07/08
“Ricky, even working while he's not at work.
That's good!”
Not reminding us to vote
Sean Tarr | 03/07/08
“Sean Sean bo bawn, banana fana fo fawn. Fi fi mo mawn, santana cana co cawn. Ching chong cha chawn, jalopy poppy jo jawn. Kettle mettle to tawn. Sean!”
The early bird
Ricky van der Walt | 26/06/08
“Ricky, always a helping hand, talks and works. That's good!”
King of the Interweb
Sean Tarr | 19/06/08
“Finding solutions to the complex requirements of Shapeshift's clients is what Sean does.
And he does this with patience and cleanliness and other things that are good.”
Chilling with his robot friend Mr. Smith
Sean Tarr | 12/06/08
“Sean won this week's award by brilliant default in a six way shootout.
He was also noted 'eating the green elephant'. Hmm... Wonder what that means?
You'll have check this space for further details...”
Uber Scamp Master
Arno Kruger | 05/06/08
“Arrie doing a good jorb der webshifting it out.”
In the Front
Elizma Steyn | 29/05/08
“Elizma won! Yay!
Because she knows it all. Yay!
Elizma won! Yay!
Because she's still at it doing them systems. Yay! Yay!”
He's our man
Ricky van der Walt | 22/05/08
“Peace, calm, and quite are words that are good.
Ricky got a new coat this week and that is also good too, as well.”
Mr Graphic Design
Arno Kruger | 15/05/08
“Ladies and Gentlemen!
The logo churnin, brand burnin, Argonotorious, Mr Graphic Design himself....
Arnoooo Kruuuugeeeer! (and his sidekick Colin)”
Miss Money Penny
Elizma Steyn | 08/05/08
“Elizma, the new count-ess of Shapeshift, can be counted on for doing all the abstract work like crunching the numbers, sorting things out and sticking it with the creatives. Yeah!”
Ready for action
The Shapeshift Team | 01/05/08
“This week's award goes to none other than the whole Shapeshift Team!
That's right folks, The whole Shapeshift Team!
Well done you lot. Looking good.”
Hot off the press
Colin Enwe | 24/04/08
“Read all about it!
We like the way he thinks cause HTML's his thing.
That's Colin Nji!”
Writer for Dilbert
Arno Kruger | 17/04/08
“When not secretly writing for Dilbert, Arno generates the art that powers the people. And he does all this interest-free.”
Direct
Lina Bruyns | 10/04/08
“With a direct approach and a warm cup of coffee we welcome Lina to the team.”
Bidding hard
Marc Viljoen | 03/04/08
“Working hard, working late, working under pressure, that's our Marc!
yeah!”
Measuring up
Sean Tarr | 28/03/08
“Meanwhile....
Our hero diligently taps away at his keyboard. There's no time to waste on any of those fancy model-type victory shots. There's work to be done.”
He is HTML
Sean Tarr | 20/03/08
“Sean, stylin' Webshift to the max!”
Aait!
Marc Viljoen | 14/03/08
“Marc's contribution to the laying of a 'pipeline' for Shapeshift has won him this week's Employee of the Week Award. There was of course a certain amount of aid from old Lady Luck who favoured him in a one-on-one battle with a highly skilled adversary.”
Bookmarker
Arno Kruger | 07/03/08
“For Arno's award winning designs he has won this week's Employee of the Week award. He has done so by the book, you can mark my words.
Taking it easy.”
Probably the coolest person existing in the world as we speak
Ricky van der Walt | 29/02/08
“Until anyone can prove that they have what it takes to be the carrier of the ultimate cool, Ricky holds the prize.
And you can quote him on that.”
The Prod
Dawie van der Westhuizen | 22/02/08
“Multi-talented Dawie has had his hands quite full these last few weeks, fighting proverbial fires, exploring his new Drill Sergeant position and also taking time off to play a bit of the drums.
Keep that rhythm going brotha.”
Doing whatever Ricky does best
Ricky van der Walt | 15/02/08
“Ricky, having been around the block a few times, has shown that he, more than often, knows what he's talking about, sometimes.”
Captain of the CSS Enterprise
Sean Tarr | 08/02/08
“A cute little rhyme was written about Sean. Something rather strange about a banana and a fawn?
But we won't delve into that any further.
What can be said is that the future of the web looks bright with the advent of designing with web standards.
Engage!”
Bidding
Marc Viljoen | 01/02/08
“Marc, the mastermind behind our flagship product Datashift, is as always paving the way ahead for Shapeshift with new and smart inventions. His peculiar brand of thinking and doing is a blessing to our clients and to the Shapeshift team. The bids are open and our bid is on Marc!”
Electrotransducer
Jean-Pierre Mouton | 25/01/08
“Jean-Pierre may be one of the main reasons for the recent energy cuts here in Durbanville.
The reason you ask?
He has been working many a late night on a Top Secret Project which will be unveiled to the world somewhere in the near future.
Stay tuned.”
Arriving via Arimail
Arno Kruger | 18/01/08
“Arno. Making bad ideas look gooood. Since back in the day.
No doubts!”
Captain on the Frontline
Dawie van der Westhuizen | 11/01/08
“A new year, a new day and what a first week it's been!
At times, for Dawie, it might have felt like the sky was falling but Dawie ain't no chicken and he's not little either. As our new Production Manager he has been doing a great job and has set up one seriously cool tactical Camp that will be the Base for all Shapeshift's operations from now on and into the future.”
On leave, permanently
Johann Schwella | 14/12/07
“And the final employee of the Week award, for 2007, goes to.... Johann!
Having completed his time of service here at Shapeshift, Johann he will now be leaving his cushy Production Manager seat to expand his horizons and drill some other people into line.
All the best for your next mission and the future!”
Dedicated
Marc Viljoen | 07/12/07
“Solving problems is what programming is all about and Marc is a programmer of note. Showing true dedication till the end and still going at it while everyone is at home sleeping snugly.”
Cascading new technologies in style
Sean Tarr | 30/11/07
“Turning the negative into a postive is what Sean strives to do and his latest expedition into the frontier of website construction has proved just that. It is magnificent and bountiful on the other side!”
Working in the Soft Light City
Marc Viljoen | 23/11/07
“Mellow under stress while making the city work for you. That's our Marc!”
Somewhere in Africa
Arno 'the Logo Generator' Kruger | 16/11/07
“Arno, as always, has the keen ability to design reliable logos that are not just pleasing to the eye but also duidelik ek sę.”
Lead Designer
Jean-Pierre Mouton | 09/11/07
“Jean-Pierre showed his extreme dedication to the Shapeshift cause this week by working past the midnight hour and created a top-class, uber impressive design pitch for the redesign of a globally renowned company. Check this space for more info.”
Sonic Explorer
Sean Tarr | 02/11/07
“Sean, on returning from his latest auditory expedition, brought back gifts of trippy sounds and wild beats to accompany Shapeshift's latest website showreel. It will be released soon so keep your eyes and ears on the Shapeshift.”
Nice guy
Johann Schwella | 25/10/07
“Want hy is lekker and beneath that tough Drill Sergeant exterior there is actually a really nice guy.”
Original
Jean-Pierre Mouton | 18/10/07
“Hier kommie Bokke!”
Reasonable
Ricky van der Walt | 11/10/07
“Ricky, the ardent warrior, is really getting into this working thing. He has been seen around the office on numerous occations this week working really hard and, although it might not be his intention for working hard, it ultimately got him the well deserved recognition of his peers and won him this week's Employee of the Week award.
Keep up the good work brother!”
Sputnik
Sean Tarr | 04/10/07
“What do you get when you mix Magnum PI, Edgar Allan Poe and Harold from Mighty Boosh all together in one dapper looking gentleman straight from the 18th Century?
That's right folks, you get Sean!”
Captain Time Commando
Dawie van der Westhuizen | 27/09/07
“Dawie must have put instant coffee into the microwave (Dawie's time travelling theory) because he managed to get a serious amount of hours out of this week. Sure he didn't get much sleep (possible snag to his theory) but hey he got the job done and that's why Dawie is such a great guy and that's why he won this week's Employee of the Week award. Well done on the Hermans and Roman presentation. It's worth billions and we appreciate all your efforts.”
1 Year
Arno Kruger | 20/09/07
“Resident design hero Arno has had one busy year at Shapeshift. From redefining the Shapeshift brand, to implementing the Scamp, it's always inspiring to see this creative guru with that inventive spark in his eye.
Keep up the good work and enjoy the new year!”
Cabbie
Marc Viljoen | 13/09/07
“Taxi!!”
Html king
Sean Tarr | 06/09/07
“Sean's been workin' on the railroad,
All the live long day.
Sean's been workin' on the railroad,
Just to pass the time away.
That's right folks. Sean's been working all day and all night, not just to pass the time away but also to get the job done.
choo choo choo!”
checked out, tested and done
Johann Schwella | 30/08/07
“It was not only Johann's new jean pant that got him this week's award but also the production line that has been styling with accurate statistics and deadlines that were met.”
The Inventor
Jean Pierre Mouton | 23/08/07
“Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Donec interdum dignissim justo. Ok, enough of that designer talk.
JP did good this week, inventing all kinds of things, working late nights and drawing nice pictures. That's the way we like it. Keep up the good work!”
Master Animator
Dawie vd Westhuizen | 16/08/07
“Dawie drives everyone crazy. Check out the soon to be released Cab Films website and see why.”
?
Arno Kruger | 09/08/07
“Asking the right questions got Arno this week's award... so much so that he saw the sign.”
Lumberjack
Jean-Pierre Mouton | 02/08/07
“Jean-Pierre, who has been hard at work conceptualising a new identity for a client and also working on his scamping skills, took the time off from his busy schedule to remove a tree, from a photo, for a friend.
Now you tree him, now you don't.”
Supafly
Sean | 26/07/07
“Sean's cool new clothes and supaflyness have earned him this week's award. At the award ceremony held afterwards it was also mentioned that Sean's diligent work in the Employee of the Week department definitely had something to do with his victory and everyone was well pleased with his efforts. Wow, what a guy!”
Drill Sergeant
Johann | 19/07/07
“Johann has many roles within the Shapeshift ideal. One of them being the resident quality assurance guy. Another being a networker of sorts. His main identity of course is his dashing and mild mannered alterego known as the Drill Sergeant. As the Drill Sergeant he ensures that production runs smoothly and that no hour goes unnoticed.
Hooray for the Drill Sergeant!”
Illustrator
Arno | 12/07/07
“Setting the illustration standards this week, Arno propelled Shapeshift to new levels when he prepared some impressive treatments for Hermans & Roman and Cape Moto Mag.
Teken daai prentjies laat die rook draai!”
The Milkman
Sean Tarr | 05/07/07
“This week all votes were vetoed by a top ranking Council member proclaiming Sean to be the ultimate winner of great importance and sincere awesomeness of all things great and good.”
Framed
Dawie van der Westhuizen | 28/06/07
“This week Dawie put his hand to the board and mounted his very first scamp. With limited time, in unknown territory, he still managed to pull off a descent and proper job.
To top things off, he also animated the best looking advert on Tygervalley's Electronic Billboard for Radio Tygerberg. Go check it out!”
The Shadow
Grant Penny | 21/06/07
“Well done to Grant for winning the coveted Shapeshift Employee of the Week award. Grant's humbleness and superb coffee making skills gave him the upperhand over the more seasoned veterans and although his stay at Shapeshift has been brief, he will forever be remembered in the memory of the Shapeshift dream.”
The Nomenclature
Sean Tarr | 14/06/07
“Sean's stable emotion, stable as in a barn, and his, superhero-like work and general duties, juggling skills have acquired him this week's EOTW™ award.
Not much more can be said about this mild mannered programmer who by day meticulously taps away at the imaginary lines of code and by night dons his explorer's hat and delves deep into known and unknown of the sonic realm.
This week Sean is also sharing his award with a dear friend and a legend Shapeshifter, Derik Spangenberg. Fly on brother!”
Sign writer
Arno Kruger | 07/06/07
“This week's award goes to Arno for creating an awe inspiring piece of art that is serving as the backdrop to the new Shapeshift office.
Respect!”
No.3
Marc Viljoen | 31/05/07
“Jolly good I say.
Marc won this week's award for managing to organise a new phone line with ADSL access in no shorter than a week. This is truely a magnificent feat and the fine technicians at Telkom are also to be commended for their sterling performance and swift turnaround time.
Hooray!”
On the move
Marc Viljoen | 24/05/07
“Marc, aka Code Shifter aka the Machine, knows stuff and that's why he won this week's Award™.
That's good!”
The heart of webdesign at Shapeshift
Jean-Pierre Mouton | 17/05/07
“JP broke the webdesign record this week by designing a red hot new website for The Heart and Stroke Foundation, entitled Go Red For Women.
The launch date is set for this coming week so keep your browsers pointed at www.goredforwomen.co.za.”
Editor in chief
Marc 'The Magic Man' Viljoen | 10/05/07
“With a number of late nights this week, Marc has advanced to Level 500, making him Datashift Supreme Champion!”
Office Hunter
Ricky van der Walt | 03/05/07
“Ladies and gentlemen it's office-ial.
After a flat spin trying to find an office... Ricky has won this week's Employee of the Week award!
Wooo!”
Scrum Master Blaster
Johann Schwella | 25/04/07
“Johann won this week's award for a number of reasons. Setting up scrum meetings, getting important signoffs and... what was that other thing you mentioned, Johann?
Let the games begin!”
Guest writer for Employee of the Week citations
Marc Viljoen | 19/04/07
“People just feel like voting for Marc because it's such a cool thing to do. He also does some cool things with zeros and ones that got him this week's Employee of the Week Award.”
Rendering
Dawie van der Westhuizen | 12/04/07
“Dawie rendered himself quite useful this week by flexing his 3 dimensional muscle and creating a tapestry of digital wonder.”
Consistent
Sean Tarr | 05/04/07
“This week's award might be a few days late but it's never too late to be the Employee of the Week!
Well done to Sean for his prize winning performance.”
Mestre Programador
Marc Viljoen | 29/03/07
“"Serving Shapeshift since 2004".”
Book worm
Johann Schwella | 23/03/07
“Johann once again used his powers of persuasion and politcal campaigning to win this week's Employee of the Week award.
I am sure the very resourceful production manual he compiled also had something to do with it but we won't be reading into that too much right now.”
Glyph Warrior
Arno Smarno | 16/03/07
“Facing dem arrows of discordance and perservering through da scorching of da bittersweet fire.
Nuff said.”
Heavy Operator
Sean Tarr | 09/03/07
“Operating from deep within a corner of Shapeshift, Sean worked so hard that his hair fell out. Well it didn't really fall out, it was more of a close shave for a good cause.”
On time
Johann Schwella | 02/03/07
“Johann won this week's award because he asked very nicely and he also tried really hard to keep his back straight in the Employee of the Week Challenge™.
We are sure other things can be mentioned about how Johann is on time in the mornings and how he got the signoff for a very important project but we won't do that because he has done it enough.
Nice one Johann, keep up the good work!”
Remaining focused
Marc Viljoen | 23/02/07
“The pressure was high and the face of danger pretty close but Marc stood firm and focused his mind on the code, winning him this week's Employee of the Week award.
Marc's battle is not over yet but he's got what it takes to overcome adversity and to be a true champion of Shapeshift.”
Scamp Master
Dawie van der Westhuizen | 16/02/07
“Late nights and puzzle solving moments have paid off for Dawie this week. His feats include creating a brilliant presentation for a hot, upcoming website and also fixing a dismantled Rubick's cube (as seen above).
Nice one!”
Impressed
Arno 'The Argonaut' Kruger | 09/02/07
“Arno won this week's Employee of the Week™ award because he is awesome.”
Hong Kong Technocrat
Marc Viljoen | 02/02/07
“Happy Chinese Day to all and congratulations to Marc for winning his first Employee of the Week award for 2007. That's right folks, the year 2007!
Marc, being the technical ace that he is, is more than often the mastermind behind solving perplexing technical matters, whether it be here at the Shapeshift office, training a client in the fine art of Datashifting or when on a mission to rescue a client in distress.
Marc's willingness to help on these matters are duly noted and highly commended.”
Ching Chong Cha Champion
Dawie van der Westhuizen | 26/01/07
“This year has already seen some exciting advancements within the Shapeshift stable and Dawie's efforts have been a great contribution to the movement.
He kept the focus while shifting all night, all week, showing some 'reel' dedication in leading Shapeshift into the year 2007!
Along with winning this week's Employee of the Week award, Dawie is also the recipient of the very first Employee of the Month award.
Well done and keep up the good work!”
Brand Awe
Arno Kruger | 19/01/07
“Arno's kind and gentle nature really shone through this week. So much so that he won the coveted Employee of the Week award because of it or is it because he is expertly forging the Shapeshift brand with the creativity and skill of a seasoned printologist?
Here we see Arno in a loving cuddle with Miss R'Uby the, much loved and much spoiled, small brown doggy that frequents the Shapeshift office. Ahhhh!
Ok, Back to work!”
Robot
Dan Malgas | 12/01/07
“It's a new year with new and infinite possibilities. Yes, that is the earth globe award he is trying to eat.
But besides that, he showed remarkable dedication and enthusiasm to his project, thereby setting the pace for a year that will be epically great.”
Collector
Sean Tarr | 15/12/06
“Because octagonal numbers consistently alternate parity.
It does?
Cool stuff.”
Bright spark
Johann Schwella | 08/12/06
“Balla is no stranger to the art of corporate gifting. This week signaled the completion of a very high profile project whereby Balla and his trusty sidekicks, the Vector Respector and Die Bruinbeer, single handedly tied up the last phase of the project.
Well done chaps!
After returning to the elated Shapeshift headquaters, Balla then instigated a creative meeting of monumental proportion which will live on in the minds of those lucky few who were present.”
Positive
Ricky van der Walt | 01/12/06
“No reason, except maybe because he is a cool dude and that he can do things others can't.”
Html King
Sean Tarr | 24/11/06
“After returning from his recent trip into the deep and dangerously dark African jungle, this Steven Seagal look-alike, also known as the king amongst his peers, has found Dina's secret pen stash and restored the spontaneous happiness that is at the heart of the Shapeshift kingdom.
Long live the king!”
Pirate, Rekkie, Boyscout, Programmer, Coding Amoeba, Pioneer
Marc 'The Wizard' Viljoen | 17/11/06
“Wow, this guy's got alot of credentials. Nuf said.”
Eye on the prize
Arno Krooger | 10/11/06
“And that's a wrap!
What more can be said about this smoosh operator?
Quite alot actually. I could go on for hours talking about how cool he is and saying things like he is cool but I think these next few words says it all.
Mellow vibes under pressure times.”
Focus Force
Johann Schwella | 03/11/06
“Johann has really outdone himself this week. Believe me he told us.
He implemented an ingenious method of gathering client information whereby the client completes a short questionnaire and then returns it to the Shapeshift Strategic Office, SSO. The document is then analysed by a team of highly skilled smart people and something which is known as a "Advanced Work Ticket" is drafted. This "Advanced Work Ticket", which is top secret by the way, contains specfic and concise details regarding the project. The result is a squeaky clean production line where the margin for error is pretty much zero. Pretty much.
Through these valiant efforts Johann has been dubbed, Johann Schwella - Project Engineer!”
Pro designer everyday
Jean-Pierre 'Firebob' Mouton | 26/10/06
“Leading where others follow. This is what we have come to know about this long time protagonist of the Shapeshift ideal.
His fruits can be seen on the branches of the web. His legendary insight can be found on the pages of myspace.”
Midnight special aka That crazy guy
Arno Kruger | 19/10/06
“Twice in a row for this passionate, creative dude.
He likes this place so much that he spent another few late nights at the office, admiring both his trusty monitor and much later the soft couch and white ceiling.”
Design Philosopher
Arno Kruger | 12/10/06
“This week saw newcomer to the team, Arno, spend some quality time at the Shapeshift Dream Lab™. He traded in some valuable sleepy time to get to know the nighttime environment of Shapeshift a bit better and I'm sure he can vouch that it's quite an experience seeing the sunrise from our office.
Respect goes to him and his extreme dedication to the cause from the get go.”
Statistically correct
Balla | 05/10/06
“Balla's elite data capturing skills ensured his victory this week and also that of Shapeshift's latest maket research.
At an informal press conference held after the much celebrated, and widely known, award ceremony it was mentioned that if Balla can't do it then no one can.
Impressive.”
Eye on the Balla
Dan the Man | 28/09/06
“It is always interesting seeing what brilliant feat of creation and innovation it takes for an individual to win the much respected and world renowned Shapeshift New Media Employee of the Week Award. This week there is no exception.
Dan has found many new and innovative uses for his hair. One of those uses is keeping his pen safe and secure inbetween the locks of his protruding mane thus keeping it always close and readily available. That's a good place to keep it!! Pretty cool, huh.
Dan is also new here. So welcome aboard and well done on the whole winning the Employee of the Week award in the first week of working at Shapeshift thing.”
Noob
Johann Schwella | 21/09/06
“Balla, aka Johann, might be new to the Shapeshift team but he's already pulling in the connections and he's wearing the cap well.
Welcome to the team, Balla!”
Director of Potatoes
Dawie van der Westhuizen | 14/09/06
“"Catching the waves off the shore in the wind."
Wow, that's beautiful and it's just one of the votes that won Dawie this week's Employee of the Week award.
Dawie played an integral part in the filming of the Radio Tygerberg advertisment that will accompany the new South African movie, Faith Like Potatoes. Well done!
It looks like its gonna be a good one. So see you at the movies.”
Birthday boy
Ricky van der Walt | 07/09/06
“These two lovely ladies were kind enough to assist Ricky in standing up after he took the whole birthday thing too seriously and fell over.
Thanks girls and happy birthday Ricky! ”
The Negotiator
Ricky van der Walt | 31/08/06
“The work of a marketer is often shrouded by their lavish lifestyles and their apparent lack of doing any real work. They also talk quite a bit.
However being a good marketer requires vision of your client's dreams and also confidence in the product you are giving them. This ultimately means being attentative and patient to the needs of both your client and that of your team. So in other words you have to listen, talk and then wait for things to happen. That's pretty much it I guess. Nothing much to the whole marketing thing. I dunno what all the fuss is about. I could do it if I wanted to.
Anyway, where was I? Oh yes. Ricky is that marketer I'm talking about. The one that doesn't seem to be doing any work yet he does quite a lot and he does it well. That's why Ricky deserves this award and also because it said so on one of his votes.
Kudos!”
Shapeshift Enthusiast!
Sean Tarr | 24/08/06
“We don't really have any idea why Sean won this week's award except maybe for the fact that he is always enthusiastic? That sounds good enough to us and we'll let this one go through, but only this time!
Yeeeeeeeeeeeha!”
Royal Flush
Dawie van der Westhuizen | 17/08/06
“Running the production line ain't no easy job but when you've got Dawie on the beat, things get done and they get done good.”
Brandman
Johan Engelbrecht | 10/08/06
“Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you, our resident brand man and identity engineer, Johan!
Forming part of the Brandshift team, he will be the main man behind the awe-inspiring logo- and print designs that will be coming out of the Shapeshift workshop from now on.
Another interesting fact about Johan is that he doesn't smell like a wet monkey...?”
Sleep-less Coder
Cram Neojliv | 03/08/06
“
This week Cram won the Employee of the Week™ award based on a technicality. The technicality being that he is a technically minded person who ensures that Shapeshift ,and it's clients, do not remain static in this fast paced age of information. That's quite cool. Thanks!
Cram also played a major role in the development of the new cutting edge online magazine, Black and White. His programming prowess added a magnitude of features both on the front- and backend, making it something unique yet refreshingly familiar.
Good to have you here Cram. Keep up the good work!”
Mythical Designer
Jean-Pierre Mouton | 27/07/06
“Good day friends and welcome back to another exciting episode of Employee of the Week!
This week we saw Jp, or Jean-Pierre as he is also sometimes known, clench the employee of the week award from right under the noses of a number of strong competitors. His victory was ultimately secured by a feat of brilliant design which pushes the limits on what is accepted as webdesign and carries it forward into a new era of innovation and discovery.
If you think that this sort of thing only happens in movies and in myths, then you'd better brace yourself and fasten your seatbelts because things are gonna get pretty hectic here at Shapeshift.
*And now for a short ad break*
Are you bored in cyberspace? Are you tired of surfing the same old websites? Is your head hurting from the lack of informative content on the net? Have I just used all the words to describe the internet? Would you like know what's happening in the real world? If your answer is yes and that sounds like you, then we've got the solution to your problems. Point your browsers to www.blackandwhite.co.za and discover the hot new online music culture magazine - Black and White. It's Black, it's White and it's read all over!
That's it for todays episode of Employee of the Week. We hope you enjoyed it and stay tuned to Shapeshift New Media.”
Brandshifta
Bianca Rudman | 20/07/06
“
Well done to Bianca for winning this weeks employee of the week award. That's impressive and I think it might be a first in Shapeshift's history for an employee to win this coveted award after only one week in the Shapeshift sweatshop, ah I mean workshop.
We would also like to take this opportunity to welcome the new Brandshift squad into the Shapeshift family. This team of guys and gals are "aanie brand" and you will definitely be seeing alot of their creations in the near future.
So all that's left to say is, take your shoes off, get comfortable and dream with us.
”
In the wine press
Dawie van der Westhuizen | 13/07/06
“At the time of this press release, Dawie was hard at work squeezing out every last bit of creative juice, making sure that Shapeshift's latest projects are leaps and bounds above the rest.
Thanks Dave for giving that extra effort! We salute you.”
Flash Gordon
Davis van der Westhuizen | 06/07/06
“"Winning employee of the week at Shapeshift requires a show of ambition, dedication and ground breaking creativity in his / her chosen art. This week I feel Dawie has met these requirements!" - comment made by top ranking Council member.
Wow, that's impressive. I think it might also be due to the fact that Dawie had a haircut this week. Looking good.”
Mooring
Carel Barnard | 29/06/06
“Carel received an astonishing 71.42857% of the votes this week, making him the winner of the EMPLOYEE OF THE WEEK award. That's just great, don't you think? Well done Carel!
In his short time here at Shapeshift, Carel has shown awesome enthusiasm and potential in both design and photography and we look forward to seeing his future creations.
When not at Shapeshift, Carel enjoys taking long walks on the beach with his two favourite pug dogs, Lulu and Peanut, and also attending his college where he is currently studying website design and development.”
The Ultimate
Derik Spangenberg | 22/06/06
“A legend, a hero, a friend.
Your presence blessed us. Your actions inspired us. Your dreams will live on in our thoughts.
See you later brother. Fly free.”
Sang-froid Designer
Jaime de Gouveia | 14/06/06
“Sound the trumpets! Turn on the lights!
It's not black. It's not white.
It's Jaime!
Even when the forces of nature waylaid him, this squire of the web managed to celebrate his 21st birthday and also design a killer web site (check out www.blackandwhite.co.za on the 19/06/2006).”
Problem Solver
Marc Viljoen | 08/06/06
“Marc led the programming department into a great victory this week. By using his keen analytical mind, he managed to solve a number of ominous problems before they could make their way into the heart of the Shapeshift stronghold.
At a celebration held afterwards, this was said about him, 'He's got nice teeth and he kills viruses dead!'. What else can be said but 'yeeha!'.”
Skeleton Crew
Sean Tarr | 01/06/06
“This just in: 'Chaos theory results out!'
Thats right faithful readers, The Council has seen it fit to release the results to their recent survey which was subliminally held here at Shapeshift New Media. Through attentive monitoring and close surveillance of how a creative individual reacts towards random unforeseen events, we have determined that all people are different and the only fundamental quality that distinguishes one person's reactions from another, is their believes and their understanding of their purpose in life. So that's that then.
Oh, before I forget. Well done Sean for winning this week's employee of the week award. It seems that the others have now noticed that you are "messing" less, but little did they know that this was due to the fact that the Chaos theory survey is over, at least for now. Mwhahahaha.”
Sturdy Frame
Derik 'Bulging Muscles' Spangenberg | 25/05/06
“Fusing his own unique style with that of conventional design and creating a new paradigm that inspires and redefines.
So, what that basically means is that Derik created some kickass logos and designs this week (to be released soon) and we are excited to see what other inventions this alchemist of illustrations can conjure.
We would also like to take this oppertunity to congratulate Derik on this, his 22nd year on planet Earth. Happy Birthday Derik!! Now get back to work.”
Nightshifter
Dawie van der Westhuizen | 18/05/06
“This week Dawie showed that his dedication to our clients is for real, no matter the space he's given to complete the project.
Well done for all the late nights Dawie. We can only but hope that you will recover from it. Ah wait, this just in. A new project has just come in for the animation department. It needs to be done by Monday morning 8:00am. What do you say buddy? Eh?
Hehe, just joking. Enjoy the weekend, to you and to all.”
Model Citizen
Jean-Pierre Mouton | 11/05/06
“It seems that Jean's striking good looks and keen dress sense have won him this weeks EMPLOYEE OF THE WEEK award. This might all be an elaborate plot to overthrow The Council and thus causing a major stock market crash and inevitably put the world as we know it in a state that is far worse than anyone could ever imagine, but that might just be me being a little bit paranoid.
So, back to the employee of the week then...
Some of you older web surfers might remember Jean as being the first employee at Shapeshift to ever win this prestigious award. He looks much healthier now and we are glad to see that he is still in a semi-sane state, even after a recent influx of work. We of the council, being quite a generous bunch, have decided that the design department is in need of expanding its influence and thus we pose this offer: If you are an aspiring designer and you think you have the creative prowess to add something special to Shapeshift, then send your cv and portfolio to .”
Kortbroek Komando
Derik Spangenberg | 04/05/06
“After his recent victory over the infamous Norris, Derik has once again shown his true South African heritage by wearing his standard issue khaki shortpants around the Shapeshift office, this while the ensuing winter is slowly creeping in like a camouflaged texas ranger.
Three cheers also go to Derik for completing an awesome animation this week, entitled Shape Up. To view this amazing work of art, visit www.inetjunction.co.za.”
Handyman
Dawie van der Westhuizen | 27/04/06
“Thanks to Dawie, everyone here at Shapeshift can use the facilities with ease and also have a reliable escape route when things get too heavy for the senses. This proves to us that he's not just good at the whole animation thing, he is also quite an exceptional fixer of things.
What would we do without him? I dare not ask this question. Well technically I did. But that was more of a saying really, not a literal statement.
Anyway, another reason for him receiving the award is because he is Dave and even Chuck would vote for him.
Respect.”
Star
Ricky van der Walt | 20/04/06
“Ricky is okay and yes, that is a chameleon on his shoulder.
Fans have gone as far as saying that he was a real star this week and that every company needs a guy like him to become and stay the best. Heck, I'll take four. Where do I pay?”
Animation Engineer
Dawie van der Westhuizen | 12/04/06
“Rumors going around the animation department this week have suggested that Dawie's skills go far beyond that of the conventional animator and that he is breaking new ground in the field of engineered animation. This advancement adds a whole new dimension to the way websites and interactive presentations are made and will pave the way forward in a brilliant display of human ingenuity.”
Employee of da Week
Sean Tarr | 06/04/06
“"He enjoys work so much, he thinks its holiday."
At a press conference held after the award ceremony, Sean commented on this statement saying, "Isn't it?".
We, here at the council, are under the impression that Sean might be working at Shapeshift for a bit too long and the regular exposure to cutting edge ideas has somehow warped his perception of work and play. This is indeed an amazing phenomenon and further studies will be conducted to determine how to shape this train of thought in the minds of fledgling Shapeshifters.
Stay tuned for updates.”
Logo Wizard
Derik Spangenberg | 30/03/06
“Having defeated the great Norris in a one on one dual and at the same time not actually being present at this monumental occasion, shows that Derik can take on any situation and make a success of it, even if its a roundhouse-kicking contest with the Norris.
This day should also be remembered as the first day in history that anyone has ever won the Employee of the Week award consecutively! Well done Derik. This is truly a great day.”
Shapeshifter
Derik Spangenberg | 24/03/06
“Derik is well on his way to becoming the ultimate example of a Shapeshift creative. Not only is he getting in shape but he is also getting Shapeshift in shape through his dazzling animations.
It is a known fact that Derik can count but he can also be counted on whenever duties above his own are called for. Another fact is that he doesn't like carrying bags around for golfers and you know what? We don't blame you.”
Sonic Surfer
Sean Tarr | 17/03/06
“Having managed to get trapped inside the Shapeshift bathroom while researching room acoustics and then using advanced cellphone technology to escape this near death ordeal, has won Sean this weeks Employee of the Week award.
It has also been noted that on very rare occassions, Sean has "messed" his coffee while walking to his desk and then still remaining as calm as a sleeping baby. Sources confirmed that this is all part of an ongoing company survey to determine the effects of the chaos theory within the workplace and how creative minds react towards this phenomenon. The results of the survey will be posted on the Shapeshift website shortly and we wish to thank all the people involved in this project, especially Sean.
In conclusion, we would like to say thank you to Sean for being a such great guy and doing such hard work here at Shapeshift. The fact that this entry has only been added to the website on the last day of the week, proves as a testimony to his zealous dedication towards Shapeshift New Media.”
Master Animator
Dawie van der Westhuizen | 10/03/06
“"He drives me crazy!"
"The idea man"
"The driving force behind Shapehift"
It's statements like these that have won Dawie the coveted employee of the week award. If it was up to the electoral committee, this award would be called "Employee of the Week in honour of Dawie", but we can't have everthing can we? Dawie, we are much impressed with your flawless animations and ingenious logos. Keep up the good work.”
Composer
Sean Tarr | 03/03/06
“Being the numbers man, Sean keeps the company afloat. Everyone likes him because he gives us money. Even though his admin duties keep him busy, he still manages to compose cool tunes.”
Marketer / Aspiring Musician
Ricky van der Walt | 24/02/06
“Ricky likes talking, but he does not like talking about just anything, Ricky likes talking about ideas and how those ideas can be realised. After that he also likes playing guitar, keeping his tan up to date and chatting to his small online following.”
Boyscout
Marc Viljoen | 17/02/06
“Congratulations goes out to Marc who has for a second time graced this esteemed page on the Shapeshift website. Even though it is only for a brief moment, the repercussions of his hardwork and relentless dedication will forever echo on the pages of Shapeshift New Media.”
Animator
Derik Spangenberg | 10/02/06
“Not only does he make good black coffee, he is also a wizard when it comes to bringing his creations to life.
An added bonus to any animator's skills is, of course, to count and Derik has the ability to count from 0 to 10.”
Programmer
Marc Viljoen | 03/02/06
“We take pride in every aspect of our work and one man who has pioneered the art of proposal writing is Marc. In between developing ground breaking web applications, he also finds the time to give our prospective clients a taste of what's to come. Here are some of the things that have been said about Marc. "You are my role model" and "He makes nice proposals!".
If you don't believe me then try us and you'll see for yourself.”
Designer
Jean-Pierre Mouton | 27/01/06
“Even though he suffers from chronic headaches, the amazing Jean seems to juggle the designs like a seasoned clown.”
